Seven boss to make debut at C7 hearing

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Last time Noel Hutley, SC, wanted to cross-examine Kerry Stokes,
the Seven Network's executive chairman sent a message that he did
not have time to give evidence and was unwilling to have his
financial affairs exposed.

It was 2000 and South Sydney was fighting its way back into the
rugby league competition. Mr Stokes had offered financial support
to Souths and Mr Hutley was acting for the chief backer of the new
14-member competition, News Ltd.

Now there's another case. It's about football too and once again
Mr Hutley has been retained by News Ltd. But this time around Mr
Stokes cannot indulge the luxury of declining to appear.

He might have a publicly listed television network and a
wide-ranging private business empire to run but for the next few
weeks he will be spending five hours a day in Federal Court
21A.

As the 43 per cent owner of Seven, Mr Stokes is the chief
protagonist in the network's suit for billion-dollar damages and a
court-ordered restructure of the pay TV industry.

The key target is News, which is accused of masterminding a
strategy to drive Seven's pay TV program supplier, C7, out of
business.

That puts Mr Hutley first in the queue to ask questions today.
He will be followed by barristers for Telstra, Publishing &
Broadcasting, Optus, the Australian Football League and the Ten
Network before Jonathan Sumption, QC, gets a chance to re-examine
his client.

On Thursday afternoon, Mr Hutley's best guess was that he would
take "possibly a couple of weeks".

He thought it would be much the same for Seven director Peter
Gammell, which Justice Ronald Sackville said "sounds like an
awfully long time".

PBL's lawyer, Tony Meagher, SC, said His Honour had seen "only
the tip of the iceberg" during Mr Sumption's five-day opening
address and there was "a mass of material" to put to the Seven
witnesses.

The case, which began two weeks ago, is expected to run for six
to nine months, a schedule which may need to be revised if only
Seven's witnesses are heard before Christmas.